Delhi Daredevils taste first win in IPL 2011

Navi Mumbai: Delhi Daredevils tasted their maiden win in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after they clinched a thrilling three-wicket win against Pune Warriors India at the D.Y.Patil Sports Complex here Sunday.

Chasing a winning target of 188, Daredevils made 190 for seven with four balls to spare after openers David Warner (46) and captain Virender Sehwag (37) set the platform for a late onslaught with their 75-run stand. Venugopal Rao (31) and Aaron Finch (25) added crucial 47 runs for the sixth wicket as Daredevils won in style.

Warner hit six fours and two sixes in his 28-ball stay and was run out in the seventh over and Sehwag, who struck six fours in his 23-ball knock, followed the Australian soon in the 10th over after he was castled by Jesse Ryder.

After the great opening stand, Delhi Daredevils suffered a mini-collapse courtesy Pune Warriors' captain Yuvraj Singh, who had scored an unbeaten 66 and then claimed four for 29. From 97 for one, Daredevils slipped to 120 for five as Yuvraj removed Irfan Pathan (14) and Naman Ojha in successive deliveries. Yuvraj was adjudged the Man of the Match.

Pathan, who was bought by Daredevils for a whopping $1.9 million, again failed to attract the attention of the national selectors as he went for a slog sweep off Yuvraj and was easily caught at deep mid-wicket and in the next ball, Ojha was superbly stumped by Robin Uthappa. 

Rao and Finch then steadied the Daredevils innings with some intelligent strokeplay and brought the equation down to 41 runs from 18 balls. Finch came down hard on an erratic Shrikant Wagh with two consecutive sixes as 20 runs came from the 18th over. 

Yuvraj brought himself back in the 19th over and struck with the first ball to remove Finch. But Rao was in no mood to give in and he smacked Yuvraj for a six and four in consecutive deliveries before being caught in the deep by Avishek Jhunjhunwala. Yuvraj conceded 13 runs in the penultimate over and James Hopes (13 not out) thwacked Ryder for a six and four in the first two balls of the 20th over to end Pune Warriors' hopes. 

Earlier, it looked Sehwag faltered at the toss after he decided to field and Pune Warriors raced to 187 for five in 20 overs.

Ryder played a whirlwind knock of 60 from 27 balls, hitting five fours and five sixes. Yuvraj was also in his elements as he struck four fours and five sixes in his 32-ball 66 as Warriors got to a challenging 187, but at the end it was not enough for the new entrants to register their hat-trick of wins in their first season. 

Pune Warriors are still atop the points table with four points from three games while Daredevils jumped to the ninth place with two points from three matches.